KIEV — On Monday, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry condemned the visit made to the Crimea by the former Italian prime minister and leader of Forza Italia, Silvio Berlusconi. 

  He was accompanied on his trip, which took place in the last few days, by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Ministry has said that the trip was “in violation of the law” and contrary “to the EU policy, that refuses to acknowledge the illegal occupation of the peninsula on the Black Sea.”

  The exact purpose of the visit still remains unknown. However, it was noted that the two men, who have maintained friendly relationships since Berlusconi’s fall from power, laid flowers at a monument commemorating soldiers who fell in a 19th century war over Crimea, including troops from the Kingdom of Sardinia. 

  According to the Foreign Ministry’s website, the journey was “conducted without having been previously agreed with the Ukrainian government”, and took place “in violation of the procedures provided for entry and exit from Ukrainian territories that are temporarily occupied.”

  The Ministry also stated that the visit is “an attempt by Moscow to legitimise the illegal occupation of the Crimea”, which was annexed in March last year, “by any means possible”.

  Berlusconi’s visit is the first visit by a former European head of state to the peninsula on the Black Sea after the annexation by Moscow, which triggered the first wave of Western sanctions against Russia.

  The European Union has recently decided to extend the sanctions against Russian individuals and leaders of the pro-Russian separatist group Donbass for a further six months, until 15 March 2016. These sanctions affect 149 people and 37 organisations linked to the south-east of Ukraine, who cannot obtain visas for entry into the EU, and whose assets in the EU have been frozen.